Drivers have been warned they could be fined £1,000 for failing to disclose serious medical conditions to the DVLA ahead of major changes coming in April.
Motorists who have one of 110 medical conditions must inform the DVLA in order to determine fitness to drive and whether they can stay on UK roads.
The warning comes ahead of new driving licence changes, which will see drivers able to access a new digital service to report health issues and renew licences entirely online.
The streamlined service aims to make it easier for drivers to report medical conditions and forms part of a broader Government initiative to modernise driving and vehicle services.
Under the new system, applicants will be able to monitor their submissions for driving licence renewals due to medical conditions as they progress through the system.
This tracking capability comes alongside an overhauled casework system designed to replace outdated technology currently in operation.
Transport Minister Simon Lightwood shared: "The DVLA's new casework system for driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated will deliver significant improvements, including improved turnaround times, increased capacity, increased automation, higher levels of digital functionality and increased digital communication.
"These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers."
Drivers can be banned from UK roads and slapped with hefty fines for failing to meet medical standards
| GETTY/PAAhead of the new online service, drivers have been reminded they must report conditions which impact their ability to drive on UK roads.
Experts from BigWantsYourCar.com shared: "Drivers must understand the nature of not disclosing medical conditions to the DVLA.
"Beyond the risk of fines, failure to report illnesses could have severe consequences, especially if involved in an accident where an undisclosed condition may have played a role."
The experts detailed how keeping the DVLA informed about any changes in health status can actively contribute to a "safer driving environment for themselves and others".
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The DVLA is moving to a more digital system for medical conditions | PADrivers who are uncertain about whether their condition is notifiable, the experts suggested consulting with a healthcare professional.
"It's better to stay on the side of caution and ensure compliance with DVLA regulations to avoid potential legal and financial repercussions," the experts said.
One of the medical conditions that needs reporting to DVLA includes diabetes, with drivers told to report if their insulin therapy extends, or is expected to extend beyond three months.
Motorists should also disclose whether they experienced gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy), and if their insulin therapy persists beyond three months postpartum.
Drivers must report notable medical conditions to the DVLA | PAMedical conditions include:
Agoraphobia
Alcohol problems
Alzheimer’s disease
Amputations
Angiomas or cavernomas
Ankylosing spondylitis
Anorexia nervosa
Anxiety
Aortic aneurysm
Arachnoid cyst
Arrhythmia
Arteriovenous malformation
Arthritis
Ataxia
ADHD
AIDS
Bipolar disorder (manic depression)
Blood clots
Blood pressure
Brachial plexus injury
Brain abscess, cyst or encephalitis
Brain aneurysm
Brain haemorrhage
Traumatic brain injury
Brain tumour
Broken limbs
Brugada syndrome
Burr hole surgery
Cataracts
Cataplexy
Central venous thrombosis (if still having problems after one month)
Cerebral palsy
Cognitive problems
Congenital heart disease
Fits, seizures or convulsions and driving
Déjà vu and driving
Defibrillators
Dementia
Depression (if it impacts your ability to drive safely)
Diplopia (double vision)
Dizziness or vertigo (if sudden, disabling or recurrent)
Drug use
Empyema (brain)
Essential tremor (if it impacts your ability to drive safely)
Eye conditions
Guillain Barré syndrome
Head injury (serious)
Heart failure (if it impacts your ability to drive safely)
Heart palpitations
Hemianopia
Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Huntington's disease
Hydrocephalus
Hypoglycaemia
Hypoxic brain damage
Intracerebral haemorrhage
Korsakoff's syndrome
Labyrinthitis (if symptoms last three months or longer)
Learning disabilities
Lewy body dementia
Limb disability
Long QT syndrome
Marfan's syndrome
Medulloblastoma
Meningioma (if it impacts your ability to drive safely)
Motor neurone disease
Muscular dystrophy
Myasthenia gravis
Myoclonus
Narcolepsy
Night blindness
Obsessive compulsive disorder (if it impacts your ability to drive safely)
Excessive sleepiness
Optic atrophy
Pacemakers
Paranoid schizophrenia
Paraplegia
Parkinson’s disease
Peripheral neuropathy
Personality disorder
Pituitary tumour
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (if it impacts your ability to drive safely)
Psychosis
Psychotic depression
Pulmonary arterial hypertension
Severe memory problems
Stroke (if you're still having problems after one month)
Surgery (if you're still unable to drive three months later)
Syncope (including blackouts or fainting)
Seizures/epilepsy
Sleep apnoea
Schizo-affective disorder
Schizophrenia
Scotoma
Severe communication disorders (if it impacts your ability to drive safely)
Spinal conditions, injuries or spinal surgery
Subarachnoid haemorrhage
Tachycardia
Tourette's syndrome (if it impacts your ability to drive safely)
Tunnel vision
Usher syndrome
Reduced visual acuity
Vertigo
Visual field defect
VP shunts
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome